AIBU to think that a holistic learning environment in schools is shit?

[nikki1978]

I am really annoyed today as I saw my daughters teacher about my concerns with her reading. Basically she is the eldest in her class and 5 and a half but can't read one word yet. They seem to be using this reading scheme:- www.ruthmiskinliteracy.com/

But all they have done is given us the sheets that show how they teach them letters (each letter is in the form of a picture) and how we need to bounce or stretch letters (i.e a-a-a-apple or ssssnake). We do take a book home each night - just any random book from lots that they have in the reading corner so not Oxford Reading Tree or anything.

Anyway I voiced my concern and she said that they were just going through the sounds still in a group and had not really done any one on one reading sessions. She said that the school favoured a holistic learning process where no part of learning was any more important than another.

She then said it did concern her a bit that DD was not able to put any words together at all and it may be to do with her language difficulty (she had speech and languages difficulties from a young age and is still slightly behind in pronunication). She said that when she tried reading with DD she would go all shy and clam up being under pressure so she thought best to leave it for now. I said maybe I should do some work with her at home which she agreed would be a good idea just working on two and three letter words and sounding them out. I told her I would let her know how we get on at parents evening after half-term.

TBH this school was our last choice as I didn't like their overly libreal approach to learning etc but this was the school she was given by the council. It has always been known as a very good school but last year there were complaints to Ofsted about the teaching.

Am I right to be concerned or am I being too pushy and should I just go with the flow like they are? Or should I just start teaching her myself which is what I am favouring?

The Ruth Miskin approach seems really good to me. I think one of the difficulties with it is that it goes right back to basics and goes through every little step in turn, so it can seem like it is taking far longer to actually 'get reading'. However, by going through every single step your child will be far more confident and be learing really good strategies for tackling much more complicated words. More so than children who have used different approaches.

If it were me, I would continue doing the basic letter sounds at home, but give it another 6 months trial before reassessing it.

YABU

Children learn things extremely quickly when it's the right time for them, and very, very slowly when forced to do it too young. Going with the flow is far better and you are lucky, IMO, that you have a school willing to do that who aren't putting your DD in a situation where she could be put off reading for life by being forced to do something she's not ready for yet.

Not really qualified to answer this one as I was educated on the Continent where we were none of us expected to read until age 7 (and were none the worse for it)- but I would have thought the choice is yours if you want to do a spot of reading at home with your dd or not. Or even better- let the choice be your dd's.

We do Ruth Miskin at my school too. I understand why she is not having reading books yet because if she can not recognise the sounds and blend she wont be able to read them, they will be giving her lots of stories for you to read to her to encourage a love of books, develop language etc. I wouldnt worry yet there is a huge range in my class from children who can read and write simple sentences to those who dont recognise all of the sounds. Do a bit at home in a gentle way, wont do any harm as long as you know the right way to pronounce and write the sounds.

The RM way of doing things is one of the best learning to read structures around, tbh

It's great the teacher isn't stressing her out and forcing her to do her sounds - would you rather her be forced and in tears because she can't do it on time?

Just keep reading to her, pointing at the words, doing the sounds and the bouncing/stretching

dd will get there in her own time... and with enjoyment, which is the MOST important part

Did you see that TV series where Ruth Miskin was teaching kids to read.OK ,her methods were successful where other had failed with some.But talk about using a sledge hammer to crack a nut ! Her methods of 'relentless' phonics would be enough to turn most kids off reading I would have thought.